Spring 2009 Volume 6 Issue 1 - The International Dyslexia

SPRING 2009
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 1
A letter from the Executive Director.
Spring is the season of
growth and that is certainly true at ONBIDA!
Our ongoing programs and services
continue to be well
received, in fact, we
are expanding space
in our free lecture series to accommodate
the overwhelming attendance. In addition
we are forging many
new partnerships in
the hopes that we will
expand our reach and
continue to raise
awareness for dyslexia.
have outstanding
workshops and exhibitors. Paula Todd from
CTV (W-FIVE) has
partnered with ONBIDA
to raise awareness and
will be giving the
opening remarks at the
conference. We also
have a special presentation from Lesley Andrew (singer and actress) and a book signing by Tory Woollcott,
author of Mirror Mind –
the first graphic novel
about dyslexia. It is a
lineup not to be
missed.
ONBIDA’s annual conference is just around
the corner on May 2nd
and once again we
We have always been
committed to partnering with the community
we serve and as such,
ONBIDA will be appearing at Toronto’s
Word on the Street
Festival on Sunday
September 27th. For
those outside of the
Toronto area, ONBIDA
is harnessing the
power of online social
media to communicate
by using a Facebook
group and Twitter
page. Never heard of
them? Visit our website
News page for links!
It’s an exciting time to
be part of this organization and I look forward to seeing you
both on and offline!
Michelle Halsey
In This Issue
1. Letter from the E.D.
Tribute to Sonia Reichman
2. LDA York Region VIP award
3. IBM Charitable Kick Off event
Type Director’s Club Art Gallery
4. Guide to Annual Conference
6. Speaker Series review—
Written Expression Difficulties
7. French Corner— translation of
Written Expression Difficulties
8. Profile of a Writer
Parent Support Group
9. Teacher Training and Toolkit
Tribute to Sonia Reichman— Board member
Sonia Reichman:
mother, daughter, sister, speech-language
pathologist, director,
Naivelt camper,
scholar, mentor, and
friend. Born in
Czechoslovakia January 21, 1948, died unexpectedly of heart
failure in Toronto
March 17, 2009, at age
61.
Sonia was a champion
of the brain’s frontal
lobes, the part of the
brain that guides so-
cial behavior, thinks
ahead, initiates action,
solves problems - and
stops us from saying
things better left unsaid. As a speechlanguage pathologist,
she had a lifelong interest in language and
cognition, and a natural affinity for languages - along with
her elegant English,
spiced with South African vowel patterns,
she spoke fluent Czech
and Hebrew. Those
who knew her clinical
work were struck by
her compassion, flexible problem solving,
and capacity for coaching people, often
adults with damage to
the frontal lobes,
through life’s rough
patches.
Sonia was no stranger
to life’s rough patches.
She was born in 1948
in post War communist
Czechoslovakia, the
cont’d on pg.11
12. Toronto Star series on L.D.
ONBIDA responds
13. Ways to Support ONBIDA
14. Upcoming Teacher Training
15. Speaker Series
We have changed to an
“e-newsletter” format!
Make sure your name is
on our e-mail list to
ensure that you receive
the next edition.
Go to idaontario.com.
* If you would like to
receive a paper copy of the
newsletter please call us at:
416-716-9296
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 1
Page 2
ONBIDA’s Past President receives
VIP Award
Ontario Branch of the
International Dyslexia
Association
Officers:
Past President: Sally Shearman
Vice President: Roby Hochman
Secretary: Valerie Fish
Treasurer: Cathi Fynn
Directors:
Kevin Burgess
Donald Fick
Liisa Freure
Karen Ghelani
Jan MacLean
Jason Manett
Jessica Rodrigues
Tell us what you
think of this
publication. We
are always
looking for fresh
and innovative
ideas that can be
incorporated into
the newsletter.
E-mail us at:
liisa.freure@
idaontario.com
The Learning Disabilities
Association of York Region
presented the 2008 VIP award
to Sally Shearman in recognition of her dedication to improving the lives of persons
with learning disabilities (LD’s)
in York Region.
Shearman has been a teacher
with the York Region District
School Board, a role which has
allowed her to touch the lives of
countless students with LD’s.
Currently Shearman leads a
special language/LD class at
Redstone Public School. By providing a safe and supportive
environment where students
are treated as children first and
LD students second, members
of her class learn not only about
reading and writing but about
their individual learning style
and how they can be successful
in school regardless of their LD.
As a result, students leave her
class with a renewed sense of
self confidence as well as a
strong command of the English
language.
According to one parent; “we
still catch our breath as our
daughter reads something on a
cereal box or even when something flashes across the TV
screen. The world of print is
opening up around her. She is still
and always will be learning disabled, but we now know how she
learns and the strategies and accommodations she needs to be
successful.”
Another parent writes; “in the past
few months we have had so many
comments from family and friends
about the confidence they have
seen in our son over the past year.
Our response to them is that he has
been blessed with a wonderful
teacher!” These are only two of
many examples of the impact
Shearman has on the students and
families she supports through her
work in special education.
Lynn Ziraldo, Executive Director of
the LDAYR states: “I am more than
pleased to present Sally with this
year’s “VIP AWARD.” She has
made many contributions, and
provided much support to individuals with learning disabilities,
as well as their families. Her
compassion, empathy and dedication have enabled many individuals with learning disabilities to
reach their full potential.”
This award was presented at the
organization’s annual meeting on
September 22nd.
Congratulations!
ONBIDA has facebook!
Join us for updates, events and
discussion from around the world.
Click here today and join the group,
Dyslexia, Did You Know?
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 1
Page 3
IBM Employees’ Charitable Kickoff Event
Roby Hochman represented ONBIDA
at the IBM Employees' Charitable
Kickoff Event on October 6, 2008 at
IBM headquarters in Markham. We
are grateful for the invitation to participate and the generosity of IBM
employees.
Becoming a
Board
Member
Did You Know…
Type Director's Club Art Gallery
On October 8, 2008, ONBIDA was
invited to be the charity of choice
at an event run by Kamiran Albadaggh. Kamiran, a fourth year
student in the business program
run jointly through University of
Guelph and Humber College was
responsible for organizing the
Type Director's Club Art Gallery.
ONBIDA
•
•
•
•
•
The event displayed 60 pieces of
art and multimedia exhibits
showing various uses of
fonts. The theme was "Type is
the way language looks", and
each person who donated to ONBIDA received a free Chinese
calligraphy scroll with a word,
name or phrase of choice provided by a representative from
New Acropolis, a non-profit cultural organization. Jessica Rodrigues and Michelle Halsey represented ONBIDA at this very successful event attended primarily
by university students. Many
thanks to Kamiran for inviting
ONBIDA to attend!
offers board members:
the opportunity to use their talents on one of our committees
interesting challenges and learning experiences,
a feeling of worth and pride in serving our mission
the opportunity to network with board and international members.
the opportunity to make a difference...
ONBIDA is always looking for
potential Board Members. The
role of the Nominating Committee is to look for prospective candidates to fill the
positions of board members
who have finished their term.
We are always looking for a
diverse array of candidates that
bring with them skills to enable
us to fulfill the IDA mission.
Candidate names are brought
forward to the Nominating
Committee who then meet to
discuss the needs of the board.
A member of the Nominating
Committee will contact
prospective board members to
determine interest, and discuss
relevant experience, areas of
expertise and other volunteer
commitments.
If you are interested in learning
more about the opportunities
that are available, we’d love to
talk to you.
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 1
Page 4
May 2, 2009
7:30 am to 4:30 pm
International Dyslexia Association, Ontario Branch
presents
5th ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Keynote Speaker: Nancy Hennessey
Reading Comprehension:
Diving Below the Surface
What must it be like to come to school every day, and school is going to be all about the
things that you don't do well?" (Nancy Hennessy, past President of IDA)
Nancy Hennessy is a leader whose understanding of dyslexia is grounded in compassion and informed by
her own first person learning journey. She is committed to reduce the suffering and release the potential of
all who are touched by dyslexia and other reading disabilities.
Reading is an exceptionally complex act. There are different models and different theories that tell us what
reading is. Ultimately, reading is the ability to make meaning out of what it is that we read. That's the end goal.
But what goes into that is very complex."
Don't miss the opportunity to hear Nancy Hennessy's first presentation in Ontario, Reading Comprehension:
Diving Below the Surface. Ms. Hennessy will help us understand the multidimensional nature of comprehension and how this is critical to assessment, and to informed design and delivery of instruction for all readers,
but particularly those who struggle.
Nancy Hennessy, M.Ed., is the president of The Consulting Network, and serves as a Lead Trainer for Wilson Language
Systems and a National Trainer for LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling). Nancy has also served
in various positions for the International Dyslexia Association and is the immediate Past President. Nancy is an experienced
general and special education teacher, diagnostician, administrator, and consultant. She holds an undergraduate degree in
psychology, a graduate degree in special education, and has completed advanced studies in administration.
Location: 89 Chestnut Street, Toronto, Ontario
Registration and Program details at www.idaontario.com or call 416-716-9296.
Seminars filled up early last year, so register early to get your 1st choice.
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 1
Beating the Odds!
Page 5
Friday, May 1 , 2009
Special pre-conference presentation, reception and networking opportunity!
presented by Lesley Andrew, singer/actress
Lesley Andrew has spoken across North America about having dyslexia in her presentation, "Beating the Odds taking responsibility for personal change and growth, overcoming obstacles, facing fears and attaining
goals." A mixture of stories, poignant memories, humour, lessons to be learned and inspiration, Ms. Andrew's
talks have been extremely well received by groups of all ages. A well-known Canadian singer and actress,
Ms. Andrew will include a performance of songs.
6:30—7:00 Annual Members meeting
7:00—8:30 Beating the Odds Lesley Andrew
Saturday Afternoon
Workshops Include:
Implementation of a Reading Failure
Prevention Program in 90 Days
Marcia Barnes, Ph.D., C. Psych.
Erin Picard, Ph.D., C.Psych.
Lesly Wade-Woolley, Ph.D.
Multisensory Syllabication The 2nd Tier for Decoding
Corey Zylstra, Orton-Gillingham Tutor
Assistive Technology
and the LD Learner
Todd Cunningham, M.A.
Fun and Games in an MSL Lesson
Corey Zylstra, Orton-Gillingham Tutor
How Occupational Therapy Can Promote
Student Success
Denise Murnaghan, M.A.
Cynthia Brandt, B.Sc..
8:30—9:30 Networking and Reception
Paula Todd from CTV (W-FIVE)
to give opening remarks at
ONBIDA's 2009 Conference
Dimensions of Dyslexia
Paula Todd is an acclaimed journalist, broadcaster,
author, lawyer and reporter for CTV's W-FIVE, Canada's #1 investigative news program and North
America's longest-running news magazine.
With more than 20 years of experience in Canadian
journalism, Todd has held a variety of high-profile
positions where she has covered legal and social issues, politics and current affairs.
Todd, a former print reporter, entered broadcasting
after more than a dozen years at the Toronto Star,
where she worked as a political reporter, news reporter and feature writer. Todd also served as an editorial writer and a member of the newspaper's editorial board.
She is the author of the best-selling book, "A Quiet
Courage: Inspiring Stories from All of Us" and has
volunteered countless hours with organizations dedicated to helping individuals with learning disabilities.
Be sure to build in time at the conference to visit our Exhibitors—including
The Bookman, Center for Assessment and Remedial Education (CARE); Corey Zylstra and Step Into Phonics;
Dyslexia Resource Centre Inc.; J's Learning Tools; Marathon Learning Materials Ltd.;
Microcomputer Science Centre Inc.; Montcrest School; Pearson Asessment/PsychCorp;
Spectrum Educational Supplies; Star Academy; The Gow School
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 1
Page 6
Two components of
translation may
develop at uneven
rates
Text generation
transforming of
ideas into
language in
working memory
Transcription
translating of those
language
representations in
working memory
into written
symbols on the
printed page
Dr. Karen Ghelani, with
ONBIDA’s vice-president,
Roby Hochman, at our
Speaker Series.
6 Stages of
Writing
Development
(Mel Levine)
Imitation—
preschool to 1st grade
Graphic
Presentation—
1st to 2nd grades
Progressive
Incorporation—
late 2nd to 4th grade
Automatization—
4th to 7th grade
Elaboration—
7th to 9th grade
Personalization /
Diversification—
9th grade and beyond
Speaker Series session 2
Review by Jason Mannet
What Causes
Written
Expression
Difficulties?
Dr. Toplak began her talk
by explaining the difference between text generation – transforming ideas
into language, and transcription – translating language into written symbols
on the page. She emphasized that acquiring different language skills occur at
different rates. Specifically,
transcription lags behind
text generation. As a result,
children think more quickly
than the rate at which they
are able to write their ideas
down. Developmentally,
this relates to the relatively
late maturation of working
memory and executive
processes. As a result,
planning, translating, and
revising are not fully operative in beginning writing,
but emerge with writing
development. Thus, written
expression is complex,
involving multiple processes and a long developmental trajectory.
In order to examine current
understandings of Disorders of Written Expression,
Dr. Toplak began by defining Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), in
which performance in daily
activities requiring motor
coordination is substantially lower given one’s age
and abilities. This may
manifest in delayed motor
milestones, clumsiness,
poor performance in physical activities and poor
handwriting. As well, she
explained dysgraphia,
which involves difficulty
with handwriting and usually involves a combination
of fine motor difficulty, inability to revisualize letters
and inability to remember
the motor patterns of letter
forms. Dr. Toplak emphasized that DCD and dysgraphia are motor issues
and precede Disorders of
Written Expression, in
which writing skills are
below expectations given
the age, abilities and age
appropriate education, and
interferes with academic
achievement.
Following Dr. Toplak’s examination of Disorders of
Written Expression, Dr.
Ghelani shared her clinical
observations from the
Youth Education, Assessment and Research Study
(YEARS). The study involved 123 adolescents
between the ages of 13-18,
and examined three domains of written expression, including single word
spelling, fluency,
(including timed math fact
solving and sentence generation) and story generation. The story generation
component involved a 15
minute spontaneous writing
sample in which the participants wrote an essay in
response to a picture. The
underlying processes in
written expression that
were studied included
working memory, processing speed, receptive and
expressive language ability
and motor ability.
The results of the study
highlighted the contributions of multiple processes
in different types of written
expression tasks, placing
demands on working memory, processing speed and
expressive language.
Working memory was implicated in spelling and
math fluency. Processing
speed was implicated in
writing and math fluency.
Expressive language was
implicated in spelling and
writing fluency. Working
memory was implicated in
contextual conventions and
expressive language was
implicated in contextual
language and story construction.
Dr. Ghelani emphasized
that these results indicate
that difficulties of written
expression are not strongly
related to pure motor skill.
She did suggest, however
that when the mechanics of
writing are not automatic,
attention to putting words
on paper can lead to difficulty attending to higher
level skills, such as planning and organizing written
work. As a result, promoting composition skills may
require teachers to address
or accommodate transcription skills.
Dr. Ghelani then moved on
to a discussion of interventions and reviewed the results of Graham and Perin’s
(2007) meta-analysis of the
research on writing instruction with students in grades
4-12 which showed that the
most effective strategies
included teaching writing
strategies for planning,
revising and editing and
explicitly and systematically teaching students how
to summarize texts. Collaborative writing (using
instructional arrangements
in which students work together to plan, draft, revise
and edit their compositions) and assigning specific goals for writing were
also very effective.
cont’d on pg.10
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 1
French Corner- Série de conférences Traduction
Traduit par: Dominique
Gagnon
Qu'est-ce qui
cause les
difficultés
d'expression
écrite?
Le Dr. Toplak a commencé
sa conférence en expliquant la différence entre
produire un texte en transformant les idées en langage et la transcription
d’un texte, c’est-à-dire en
reproduisant le langage en
symboles. Elle a mis l’accent sur le fait que l’acquisition des différentes compétences linguistiques se
produit à des rythmes différents. En particulier, la
transcription puiqu’elle
arrive après l’élaboration.
Ce qui explique que les
enfants pensent plus rapidement qu’ils n’écrivent.
Au niveau du développement, cela provient d’une
maturation relativement
plus lente de la mémoire à
court terme et des processus décisionnels. Cela a
comme résultat que la planification, le transfert, et la
révision de texte ne sont
pas complètement opérationnels lorsque l’on commence à écrire, mais évolue avec le développement
de l’écriture. L’expression
écrite est complexe, implique une multitude de processus et prend beaucoup
de temps à se former.
Pour mieux comprendre les
nouveaux développements
sur les Troubles de l’Expression Écrite, le Dr. Toplak explique pourquoi le
Trouble de Coordination
de Croissance (TCC) affecte la performance journalière des activités qui de-
mandent une coordination
motrice lesquelles dépendent de l’âge et des habiletés. Ce trouble peut se
manifester par un retard
dans les étapes motrices,
une maladresse, une faible
performance dans les activités physiques et une piètre qualité de l’écriture.
Elle explique aussi que la
dysgraphie qui implique la
difficulté avec l’écriture
habituellement implique
aussi une difficulté avec la
motricité fine, une incapacité de se représenter les
lettres et l’incapacité à se
rappeler comment former
ses lettres. Le Dr. Toplak
explique que le TCC et la
dysgraphie proviennent de
la motricité et précèdent
les Troubles de l’Expression Écrite par le fait même
les capacités d’écriture
sont en dessous des attentes normales concernant
l’âge, les habiletés et l’éducation et nuisent à la réussite scolaire.
Suivant l’examen par le Dr
Toplak des Troubles de
l’Expression Écrite, le Dr.
Ghelani a partagé ses observations cliniques sur
l’Étude de Recherche sur l
Éducation des Jeunes et
l’Évaluation (EREJE). Cette
étude a demandé la participation de 123 étudiants
âgés entre 13-18 ans. Elle a
examiné trois domaines de
l’expression écrite : l’épellation de mots simples, l’aisance, (incluant les problèmes de mathématiques
chronométrés et la composition de phrases) et la
composition d’histoire. La
génération d’histoire implique un 15 minutes
d’écriture spontanée où les
participants écrivent une
dissertation à partir d’une
image. Les processus sousjacents de l’expression
écrite qui furent étudiés
comprenaient la mémoire à
court terme, la vitesse du
processus, l’habileté à la
réception et à l’expression
du langage et l’habileté
motrice.
Les résultats de l’étude ont
démontré qu’il existe des
participations entre une
multitude de processus
dans l’élaboration de l’expression écrite ce qui demande un travail de la mémoire à court terme, de la
vitesse et de l’expression
du langage. La mémoire à
court terme est impliquée
dans l’aisance en épellation
et en math tandis que l’expression du langage est
impliquée en épellation et
dans la facilité d’écrire. On
retrouve aussi la mémoire à
court terme dans l’implication dans les conventions
de l’écriture et l’expression
du langage dans l’implication dans le langage
contextuel et la construction d’histoire.
Le Dr. Ghelani a précisé
que les résultats indiquent
que les difficultés de l’expression écrite ne sont pas
reliées simplement à la
capacité motrice. Cependant, elle a suggéré que
lorsque les mécanismes de
l’écriture ne sont pas automatiques, l’attention que
l’on porte à mettre les mots
sur papier peut mener à
des difficultés à atteindre
des niveaux supérieurs tels
que la planification et l’organisation du travail écrit.
Cela veut dire que lorsque
les enseignants encouragent la dissertation, ils devront faire attention à procurer des adaptations dans
les capacités de transcriptions.
Le Dr. Ghelani a fait part de
certaines interventions et a
cont’d on pg.10
Page 7
Il existe deux composantes dans le
transfert de texte
qui peuvent se développer à des rythmes différents : La
génération de texte
transforme les idées
en langage au niveau de la mémoire
à court terme La
transcription c’està-dire transférer les
représentations du
langage de la mémoire à court terme
en symbole écrit sur
une page.
Il existe six étapes
dans le développement de
l’écriture
(Mel Levine)
L’imitation –
préscolaire à la 1ière
année
La Représentation
Graphique –
de la 1ière à la 2ième
année
L’incorporation
progressive –
de la fin de la 2ième
jusqu en 4ième année
L’automatisation –
de la 4ième à la 7ième
année
L’élaboration –
de la 7ième à la 9ième
année
La personnalisation / Diversification –
de la 9ième et plus
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 1
Page 8
Profile of a Writer
Tory Woollcott, a 26-year old with
dyslexia, will be signing copies of
her NEW graphic novel
If you know
someone who
should be
featured,
e-mail us at :
"Mirror Mind"
at the
Dimensions of Dyslexia Conference
on May 2nd
Tory grew up with dyslexia
and a love of comic books
(also known as graphic novels). Born to parents who
were both graphic artists,
Tory naturally gravitated
towards illustration. Given
that she also had dyslexia,
Tory found drawing a perfect way to express herself when she struggled to find
the words. "If I wanted to write a story
about a beautiful and majestic tree but
could only write "the tree is great" that
would be so frustrating," Tory says. "But if
I could draw the tree I could show people
exactly how I wanted to describe it."
liisa.freure@
idaontario.com
Through her love of comic
books and desire to educate
people about dyslexia, Tory
has now created her own
graphic novel entitled Mirror
Mind. To our knowledge this
is the first graphic novel of its
kind!
Support Group for Parents
Bayview Hill Community
Centre
114 Spadina Road,
Richmond Hill
Time: 7 - 9 PM
Dates: Thursdays as follows:
May 21, June 18
Has your son or daughter been identified
with dyslexia or a related language
learning disability? Then this group is for
you!
RSVP: call 416.716.9296 or
email [email protected]
February’s meeting was focused on
Understanding the basic principles of
multisensory, sequential, structured
language education—featuring presenter Sally Shearman, Past President of
ONBIDA, Special Education Teacher.
This is an opportunity for parents and
those concerned about children with
dyslexia to meet, share ideas and information, and support one another.
This session was devoted to
understanding the main components of effective remediation for children with dyslexia. The purpose was to
empower parents with the
knowledge necessary to be
effective advocates for their
child's education. There was
ample opportunity for questions and parents had opportunities to 'try out' some of the
activities for themselves.
Our next meeting focuses on
Assistive Technology.
Families are needed for a research project at Sick Kids—
which is investigating the genetic basis of reading disabilities. We require the participation of families
and their children, age 6 - 16 years, who have reading problems. Parents will receive a report describing their child's test results, which may be helpful in educational planning. All testing will take place at
Sick Kids.
For more information, contact Tasha Carter at 416-813-8207 or [email protected]
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 1
Teacher Training
“We can
Helping classroom teachers understand
dyslexia and providing them with tools to
help their students to succeed is a major
goal of ONBIDA. In the summer of 2008,
ONBIDA sponsored an Orton Gillingham
course geared to provide both background on dyslexia as well as practical,
hands on activities for people suffering
from language based learning disabilities.
The course was generally well received
Page 9
and several participants have gone on to
seek additional training. Having been the
first such course delivered, ONBIDA has
taken what they’ve learned from this experience and is moving forward with additional educational and training opportunities. Stay tuned to this newsletter for future
courses, including one coming up this
summer for Multi Sensory Structured Language training for classroom teachers.
make a difference
to the education of
individuals with dyslexia
in Ontario.”
The Canadian
Language and
Literacy Research
Network
(CLLRNet)
http://www.cllrnet.ca
is eager to share
Foundations for
Literacy:
An Evidence-based
Toolkit for the
Effective Reading
and Writing
Teacher.
Please note that the
French version of the kit
will be coming soon.
Toolkit for Teachers!
We are confident that it will be a useful tool in helping educators implement evidence-based practices into
their reading and writing instruction at
the K-6 level. Foundations for Literacy
is a resource designed to help preservice and in-service teachers, administrators and policymakers understand and use what is known about the
development of reading and writing
skills, identify what needs to be taught
and how it can be taught most effectively, to ensure that all children succeed. The kit highlights the use of this
knowledge for the benefit of children
in Grades K-6.
The kit is comprised of three main
components: a print resource, a DVD,
and a website.
The print resource summarizes what
is known about children’s development of reading and writing skills, and
provides examples of classroom
activities and effective instruction
techniques. The print resource also
includes an extensive glossary and
province-by-province listing of various library services available to
alumni of faculties of education at
Canadian universities.
An accompanying DVD-ROM includes PowerPoint presentations on
the key ideas presented in the kit,
video clips of classroom demonstrations and interviews with expert
Canadian researchers about recent
research findings.
A companion website includes
downloadable print materials, multimedia components, hyperlinks to
online resources, a glossary of terms
and charts of key supporting
resources.
These may be accessed through
http://www.foundationsforLiteracy.ca
or http://foundationsforliteracy.ca/
pdf/ReadWriteKit08.pdf
Canadian Language and Literacy Network
Our children need a coherent, evidence-based national strategy for early literacy.
The Canadian Language and Literacy Network is supporting the development of a strategy for literacy
beginning from birth and continuing through the school years and into adulthood. To build a successful
strategy we need your help! To learn more about our ideas for the National Strategy for Early Literacy
and to contribute on your own, visit: http://nsel.cllrnet.ca With your help, we can build a plan to improve
literacy skill levels across the country and ensure bright futures for all Canadian children.
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 1
Page 10
Disorders of Written Expression cont’d.– Dr. Toplak and Dr. Ghelani
The model
combines
strategy
instruction
with self
regulation
through
explicit
instruction,
guided
practice and
peer practice.
Sign up for our next
speaker
Dr. Rhonda
Martinussen
The Relationship
Between ADHD and
Dyslexia
April 22nd
Register at
www.idaontario.com
or call
416-716-9296
Ce modèle
combine
l’enseignemen
t de stratégies
comprenant
une autoréglementatio
n avec des
instructions
détaillées, des
guides de
pratique et la
collaboration
avec les pairs.
With regard to promoting
strategy development, Dr.
Ghelani discussed Graham
and Harris’ (1996) SelfRegulated Strategy Development Model (SRSD). The
purpose of the model is to
address the needs of students with attention, behaviour and learning disorders
by improving students’
strategic behaviour, knowledge and motivation. The
goals involve students
learning to carry out specific processes, such as
planning and drafting, developing knowledge and
self-regulatory procedures
such as goal-setting, selfmonitoring and self instruction. The model combines
strategy instruction with
self regulation through explicit instruction, guided
practice and peer practice.
This process involves developing background
knowledge and then describing, modeling, memorizing and supporting it.
Next, Dr. Ghelani briefly
discussed a variety of
strategies to guide students
in terms of choosing ideas,
organizing material, monitoring their activities, and
breaking down the writing
process into steps. In addition, she discussed using
sentence starters to scaffold
sentence construction and
providing instruction about
specific linking words that
relate to time, cause and
effect, addition and contrast
to aid the process of text
generation. She concluded
by reiterating the importance of providing explicit
instruction, teaching strategies that target planning,
organizing ideas, and self
monitoring, as well as providing opportunities for
modeling, feedback, practice time, and cooperative
peer work.
Série de conférences
Traduction cont’d.
révisé les résultats de la
méta-analyse de la recherche de Graham and Perin
(2007) sur l’enseignement
de l’écriture chez les étudiants de la 4ième à la 12ième
année. Ces résultats ont
démontré que les méthodes les plus efficaces incluent l’enseignement de
stratégies d’écriture lors
de la planification, la révision et l’édition ainsi qu’un
enseignement explicite et
systématique pour faire un
résumé de texte. L’écriture
en collaboration c’est-àdire en procurant des instructions donnant droit aux
étudiants de travailler ensemble afin de planifier,
de composer une ébauche,
de réviser et d’éditer leur
composition tout en assignant des buts spécifiques
tout au long de l’écriture
est aussi très efficace.
Par rapport à la promotion
du développement de stratégie, le Dr. Ghelani a discuté du modèle développé
par Harris (1996) intitulé : «
Self-Regulated Strategy
Development Model
(SRSD)». L’objet de ce modèle a pour but de mettre
en valeur les besoins des
étudiants qui ont des troubles d’attention, du comportement et d’apprentissage en améliorant le comportement, les connaissances et la motivation des
étudiants. Ainsi, ces étudiants sont amener à développer certains processus
tels que la planification, la
rédaction d’un brouillon,
le développement de
connaissances et des procédures d’auto-évaluation
qui comprennent : se fixer
un objectif, s’autocontrôler
et s’auto-enseigner. Ce
modèle combine l’enseignement de stratégies comprenant une autoréglementation avec des
instructions détaillées, des
guides de pratique et la collaboration avec les pairs.
Tout ce processus indique
qu’il faut un développement
des connaissances de base
qui sont par la suite façonner
et mémoriser.
Par la suite, le Dr. Ghelani a
discuté des différentes stratégies qui vont guider les
étudiants lors du choix des
idées, de l’organisation du
matériel, du suivi des activités afin de diviser le processus d’écriture par étape. De
plus, elle a discuté l’utilisation de phrases de départ
afin de construire les phrases suivantes et l’utilisation
de liens spécifiques au
temps, de cause à effet, à
l’addition et au contraste afin
d’aider la production du texte. Elle a conclut en réitérant
l’importance de fournir des
explications spécifiques, sur
l’enseignement de stratégies
qui mettent l’accent sur la
planification, l’organisation
d’idées et l’auto-contrôle et
ainsi fournir des opportunités pour le façonnement, la
rétroaction, du temps de
pratique et la collaboration
pour le travail avec les pairs.
ONBIDA thanks Dominique
Gagnon for donating her
translation services to our
newsletter.
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 1
Page 11
Tribute to Sonia Reichman— Board member—cont’d
first child of Holocaust
survivors Dolly and the
late Alex Reichman.
Most of her parents’
relatives had perished
in the Holocaust. Her
father was imprisoned
and sentenced to hard
labour for helping Jews
escape from Poland
and Slovakia. When
Sonia was 3 years old
she and her mother followed him to Ostrava, a
mining town in Moravia, where they, with
Sonia’s little sister,
lived until Sonia’s midteens. In 1965, the
Reichman family made
a dangerous escape
from Czechoslovakia
that ultimately took them
to Israel.
With her natural ear for
languages, Sonia
quickly added Hebrew
and English to her native Czech. She met her
first husband on a kibbutz in Israel, married
and moved with him to
his native South Africa,
where she became a
successful fashion
model. She returned to
Israel following her
husband’s death, where
her interests in language and cognition
led to a degree in linguistics then to cognitive neuroscience studies at Tel Aviv University. In 1986 she was
admitted to the University of Toronto’s Master’s Degree of Health
Science program in
Speech Language Pathology, and at the age
of 38, Sonia made Toronto, Canada her
home. In 1991 she married George Novak, her
high-school sweetheart
in Czechoslovakia who
had also immigrated to
Toronto, and from that
marriage came her beloved daughter, Hanna.
While the marriage
ended, Sonia’s and
George’s friendship
endured.
Sonia distinguished
herself as a scholarly
and creative clinician in
working with people
suffering communication disorders after
stroke and traumatic
brain injury. She became the supervisor of
the Speech Pathology
Division of Riverdale
Hospital, and later the
director of the Communication Disorders Department at Toronto’s
Baycrest Centre for
Geriatric Care, where
she founded the Toronto Aphasia Interest
Group. In addition to
her work with adults,
Sonia was an expert in
reading and writing
disorders and maintained a private practice treating children
with dyslexia. In 2004
she helped found the
Ontario branch of the
International Dyslexia
Association, and then
used her organizational
wizardry to help build
the Association into an
important resource for
Ontario teachers, therapists and parents. In
June 2008 she began
working full time as a
private practitioner
serving children with
dyslexia.
Sonia did nothing by
half-measures, and
would commit to a project only if she could
give it her all. She said
“no” only when a
“yes” would have interfered with the time she
devoted to Hanna. Jan uary 2009 found Sonia
and Hanna contemplating their upcoming
birthdays (Sonia’s 61st
and Hanna’s 16th). Inspired by that wonderful symmetry, they
used the occasion to
celebrate their mutual
bond. They co-hosted
a birthday bash that
brought their friends
and relatives together
with delectable Czech
pastries and musical
performances by their
talented young and notso-young friends. It was
a great evening,
capped by their tributes to one another.
Sonia told us all that
Hanna was her greatest
pride and achievement,
and Hanna gave a moving speech that testified
to her great love for
Sonia. Only 6 weeks after
that wonderful evening
of celebration, Sonia’s
grieving friends and
relatives gathered
again for her funeral.
Sonia squeezed the
best from life. She listened carefully,
SONIA
REICHMAN
One of the founding
members of The Ontario Branch of the
International Dyslexia
Association.
Her strong,
compassionate voice
will live on
for all those whose lives
she touched.
laughed often and
heartily and loved
deeply. Her strong,
compassionate voice
will live on for all
those whose lives she
touched. She is survived by her daughter, Hanna Novak, her
mother, Dolly
Reichman, and her
younger sister, Judy
Rom.
Submitted by
Valerie Fish—
Sonia’s classmate
at U of Toronto and
longtime friend and
colleague.
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 1
Page 12
IN THE NEWS
ONBIDA responds to Toronto Star series Testing 1, 2, 3”
In March the Toronto Star ran a
series of articles entitled
“Testing 1, 2, 3.” The series
tracked the journey of 13-yearold Josh and his mother Linda,
who had worried for years about
how her son floundered in
school. The reporter followed
them through the process of a
psycho-educational assessment
to find out what was wrong, the
diagnosis of a learning disability
and setting strategies to get
special education supports and
services.
Josh’s story resonated with readers of all ages. Parents, grandparents, teachers, adults with
learning disabilities and advocates wrote and phoned to share
their stories. There were several
common themes. Among them:
"What next?" It's one thing to
identify a problem such as a
learning disability, but another
to actually get the supports a student like Josh, who learns differently, is entitled to.
ONBIDA submitted a written response to the follow up piece
“Josh’s struggles resonate with
readers.”
To visit ONBIDA’s
Discussion Forum for
Teaching Tips
Parenting Tips
Helpful Reading Material
Ask an Expert
Dear Ms. Gordon,
I have been following your Testing 1, 2, 3 series and was
pleased to see the follow up article “Josh's struggles resonate
with readers” showing the common experience from parents of
children with learning disabilities. At the Ontario Branch of
The International Dyslexia Association (ONBIDA) we see the
same passion and frustration
from parents trying to help their
children learn to read and write
given that 1 in 10 people have a
language learning disability
(dyslexia).
We offer the following supportive advice to parents with a
child that learns differently:
As a parent, trust your observations. If you feel something is
not right with your child’s learning, chances are you are absolutely right.
Get an assessment as early as
possible. Many learning disabilities are language learning
disabilities. Language differences can be assessed at a very
early age and can result in early
language intervention that will
pave the way to better learning
later on.
At school age, request a
Speech-Language Pathology
assessment and Psychoeducational assessment as
soon as possible.
Once an Individual Education
Plan is in place, consider yourself part of the team by staying
in regular communication with
the teachers and monitor your
child's progress.
Be supportive of teachers by
advocating for better Special
Education for teachers.
ONBIDA feels that the last point
is imperative. Teachers cannot
teach what they don’t know. The
field of learning disabilities is
vast and educators need to know
how to assess and intervene effectively. A great deal of research has been done but there
are often gaps between research
and practice. It’s important to
note that teacher training in Canada is relatively brief – one year
to become a teacher and one
year for a Special Education designation. In contrast, many European countries require Special
Education teachers to complete 2
-3 years of basic teacher training
followed by 2-3 years of specialization in one of the areas of
learning disabilities such as language and dyslexia (difficulty
learning to read and write). We
cannot expect our teachers to
learn this much about learning
differently in just two short
years.
Thank you for raising awareness
around this critical process that
impacts so many families in our
community. For further resources about early identification and learning disabilities I
invite you to visit our website at
www.idaontario.com.
Best,
Michelle Halsey
Executive Director
International Dyslexia Association - Ontario Branch (ONBIDA)
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 1
Page 13
To our newest members
of IDA
Mr. Kevin Burgess, Mr. Steven Revoy, Ms. Jennifer Harrison,
Ms. Laura Kesicki, Lyndwood Public School -- Debra Powell, Mr. Clinton
Weir, Ms. Patricia Janas, Ms. Anne Ruetz, Mrs. Susan Couprie, Ms. Mary
Damianakis, Ms. Diane Duff, Mrs. Teresa Kennedy
Ways to Support ONBIDA
Make a personal gift
to ONBIDA
We accept cheques or
credit card payments.
Please go to our web site
www.idaontario.com to
print out a form to mail
with your cheque payable to "The Ontario
Branch, IDA":
Attention: Donations
The Ontario Branch, IDA
104 Loraview Lane
Aurora, Ontario L4G 6N5
We will mail you a charitable receipt.
Or if you would prefer,
you can also make an
online donation and pay
by credit card.
Make a monthly
donation.
Please consider providing ongoing support for
the work of the Ontario
Branch by charging a
monthly donation to
your credit card through
Canada Helps.
Please also consider
designating your
donation to ONBIDA
(charitable registration number 85713
3078 RR0001) through
the United Way.
Please contact us at
[email protected] for
more information on this
option.
Planned Giving
This is the gift of a lifetime, leaving a legacy of
hope for the future.
Considering this type of
gift requires planning.
Your family is involved
and your advisors
should be consulted.
In Honour Donation
Honour someone special
by donating to celebrate
a birth, a birthday, a
wedding, an anniversary
or any other special occasion. Please check off the
'This is a gift' box on the
personal gift form. We
will send a note card to
notify the person of your
'In Honour' donation. The
charitable receipt will be
mailed to you.
In Memory
Donation
Express your sympathy
to friends and family by
making a special gift in
memory of a loved
one. Please print and fill
in the donation form with
your instructions and we
will send a note card. If
you would prefer to pay
with your credit card,
please follow the instructions on the Canada
Helps website.
Where your
Money goes
- Phone line for free
information, support
and referral
- Message service
for information
and referral
- Hosting our
website
- Maintaining and
updating our website (our website
acts as a first line of
information for anyone who inquires
about dyslexia or
resources for individuals with dyslexia)
- Printing and publishing information
materials
- Public presentations on dyslexia to a
wide range of audiences
- Annual conference
Scholarships for candidates to attend
local and international conferences
- Newsletter
Summer 2009
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 1
Page 14
TEACHER TRAINING
SESSIONS
Multi-Sensory Structured Language (MSSL)
Teaching Strategies for the Classroom
This course is primarily intended for elementary special education or general education teachers
with some prior knowledge of structured language teaching.
At the end of the course, participants will:
• Understand how to choose assessment tools for diagnostic and formative assessment
• Understand how to interpret assessment results to plan instruction
• Know how to group students for instruction
The principles of
instruction and
content of a multi
sensory structured
language program
are essential for
effective teaching
methodologies.
• Know how to select and use a scope and sequence for instruction
• Understand how to develop a variety of lesson plans for different stages of development
• Know how to create a cycle of MSSL activities
• Understand how to engage other students in independent activities while working with a
small group
• Understand how to integrate MSSL instruction into the special education classroom
and /or a guided reading framework in the primary classroom
In addition, participants will:
The International
Dyslexia
Association (IDA)
actively promotes
effective teaching
approaches and
related clinical
educational
intervention
strategies.
• Receive a list of resources, both in print and online
• Be provided with ongoing online support
A required reading list will be provided prior to the commencement of the course.
Please see website for course outline and reading list as well as recommended textbook.
PREREQUISITE: Some prior knowledge of the history and structure of the English language will be assumed .
For more information please contact:
•
416.716.9296
•
[email protected]
•
www.idaontario.com
July 6—9, 2009
8:30 a.m.—12:30 p.m.
M.L. McConaghy Centre — Richmond Hill
10100 Yonge St. —north of Major Mackenzie, south of Arnold Cres.
COST $260/4 sessions
While IDA is pleased to present a forum for presentations, advertising, and exhibits to benefit those concerned with dyslexia and related
learning disabilities, it is not our policy to recommend or endorse any specific program, product, speaker, institution or instructional material.
ONBIDA 2008-09 Lecture Series
The International Dyslexia Association
Ontario Branch
promoting literacy through research, education, and advocacy
PRESENTS...
What is the relationship between ADHD and Dyslexia ?
By: Rhonda Martinussen, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Institute for Child Studies, University of Toronto
Date: April 22nd, 2009
Is your child struggling to read and has ADHD?
Have you ever wondered how to teach children with ADHD and a reading difficulty?
Do your clients have both ADHD and dyslexia?
If you answered yes to any of the above questions then this lecture is for you!
Providing effective intervention for reading difficulties is even more challenging when Attention Deficit/
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is present. Dr. Rhonda Martinussen will give participants a solid understanding of this issue by providing an overview of research examining the overlap between ADHD and
reading difficulties in children. Dr. Martinussen will also discuss her recent research examining the relationship between inattention and reading fluency. The presentation will conclude with a discussion of
how these findings can be applied in practice.
Please join us for an educational evening that will provide you with practical take-away tips!
Dr. Rhonda Martinussen has formal training and experience as a classroom teacher. She is currently an
Assistant Professor of Special Education and Adaptive Instruction in the department of Human Development and Applied Psychology at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of
Toronto. She is affiliated primarily with the Institute of Child Study and teaches students in the M.A. Child
Study program. Dr Martinussen is currently examining the relationships among cognition (e.g., working
memory), behavior (e.g., inattention), and reading and writing skills to gain a better understanding of the
overlap between behavior and learning disorders. She is also studying the types of instructional and
behaviour management approaches that teachers use in the classroom to support students with attention
and/or behavioural difficulties. The goal of this research is to determine the types of approaches that
teachers find effective and useful in supporting students with attention disorders.
Location: Room 108, Koffler Institute for Pharmacy Management,
University of Toronto
569 Spadina Avenue
Time:
6:30 – 7:00 refreshments & networking
7:00 – 8:15 lecture
8:15 – 8:30 Q & A
For more information and to register online
go to www.idaontario.com or call 416-716-9296 to reserve your seat*
FREE to Members and Public
* Limited spaces available.
The voice recording on the information line (416-716-9296) will be updated in case of cancellation due to inclement weather or speaker illness.
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 1
Promoting literacy through research, education and advocacy
ONBIDA thanks the following for
their generous donations
ONBIDA
104 Loraview Lane
Aurora, ON,
L4G 6N5
Phone: 416 716-9296
E-mail: [email protected]
www.idaontario.com
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Keep updated with all of the latest
news and events at ONBIDA using
this new social media website! Go
to http://twitter.com/ONBIDA
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know what’s happening!
William Anderson, Brenda Arnott-Wesson, Varsha Asser, Jane
Baker, Sue Barr, Arei Bierstock, David Bloom, Shelley Brook,
Kevin Burgess, Vivian Cafazzo, Natalie Chan, Chandaria Chand,
Heather Chitty, Derek Cramton, Deltaplast Machinery Ltd., Bonnie deMeulles, Yogesh Desai, Barbara Drysdale, Stephen Ecclestone, Heather Esplen,
Chandima Fernando, Donald Fick, Joel Finkelstein, Abraham Fish, Joel Fish, Valerie
Fish, Krystyna Flynn, James Fong, Liisa Freure, Friesen Expedited Systems Inc., Cathi
Fynn, Geneva Fynn, Ian Fynn, Steven Garmaise, Helen Gonzo, Dory Goodlin, Patricia
Harris, Jennifer Harrison, Margo Harvie, Geoffrey Heathcote, Stephen Herbert, Dianne
Hignett, Roberta Hochman, Joy Hunt, Insite Creations, Bikhu Jethalal, Sioban Karman, Kirit
Khetia, Sunil Khimasia, Ken Kirk, Hilarie Klapman, Martha Kovack, Sharon Laviolette, Peal
Levey, Mark Librach, Scott Lightfoot, Peter Loftus, Mary Ann Lysons, Susan Maidment,
Kevin McGaffey, Donna McGrath, Susan McGrath, Joan McLean, J. McMillen, V. Mehdizadeh, Neil Milliken, Kiran Morzaria, Rasik Morzaria, Michael Noonan, Glen Oliver,
Ramila Ondhia, Dominique Plante, Brian Purcell, Aruna Raval, Sonia Reichman, Andrea
Risk, Enrico Beauty Salon, Ernie Rubenstein, Patrick Ruparelia, Janelle Savatovich, Carol
Schipper, Chandrakani Shah, Shashi Shah, Margaret Shearman, Sally Shearman, Ellen
Shifrin, Harold and Helen Shneer, Tamara Smillie Karen Steele, Stuart Strain, George
Sweeney, Mojan Taheri, Alex Talmor, Tara Natural Foods, Jack Taylor, The Reading
Clinic, Type Directors Club, Niru Vaghela, Raju Vakani, Jason & Mercedes Vescovi, Dr.
Raymond Wong & Dr. Lily Yang Dentistry, Rhona Wulfsohn, Maggie Wygant